Monday, December 24, 2007

Maybe I'm the last in the USA to catch on, but I don't think so. I think it's a well kept UK secret.The V&A Museum has an exhibit up that ends January 6.As a part of that exhibit, on their website, they're offering a free pattern download. How cool is that?

Create a Couture Inspired Dress

This dress pattern has been specially created for the Golden Age of Couture website. It is based on a 1950s ready to wear dress from the V&A collection and has been sized for modern day UK sizes 10, 12 and 14.

The pattern is designed for you to download and print at home on A4 paper, or at a printer’s on larger sized paper. You must then assemble the printed sheets to form the pattern. Full instructions on this are given in the Pattern Instructions.

Day Dress by Horrockses Fashion

The traditional focus of couture was the creation of high fashion garments for private clients. However, sales to department stores and wholesalers became increasingly important after the war. Some designers created ready-to-wear collections specifically for the export market, using the mass-production and sizing methods developed in the USA, and the sale of home dressmaking 'couture' patterns in Vogue and other magazines made the couturier’s ideas available to a wide audience and proved to be both lucrative and popular.

Ready-to-wear dresses such as this from Horrockses Fashions combined the fashionable couture silhouette with youthful and innovative textile designs, and would have appealed to women of different ages and social backgrounds as the perfect summer dress. These dresses were relatively expensive and were popular with members of the Royal Family - but working women would save up to buy one, often as a honeymoon outfit.

Monday, December 10, 2007

disclaimer: This is not a new projectI received the most extraordinary email today. It started out "I got to see your mom's Lady Eleanor a few hours ago. As soon as your mom stood up, I recognized the "Lady Eleanor" pattern"... I knit this Lady E (the shawl, I made the skirt, but it's not knit) for my mom, and gave it to her a year and a half ago for her birthday. Evidently, she does wear it. Cool. She was wearing it to church yesterday, when she was spotted.This was written to me by a woman who is a sewing enthusiast and knitter. Someone who told me she lurks on Stitchers Guild, and is also on Ravelry, but doesn't post much. (I guess I post enough to be recognizable -- blush) And she reads this blog. She went on to write some very complimentary things about me and my mom, for which I thank her, from the bottom of my heart. It was an amazing experience to receive an email from someone who has seen my work, IRL.

She also wrote that she likes the variety of subjects I post about, as did many of you. In emails, and on comments. Thank you all.So, ok, you'll continue to get a variety of subject matter.Several of you also wrote that you're thinking about combining your blogs because it's too much to keep up different blogs for different subjects. I can only say...go for it! The response to both Toya's survey and my post were, keep the various content together.

Speaking of Toya....guess what came in my mail while I was off playing in Chicago? My own personal copy of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style Thank You Toya! She had a contest, I won, and she sent me this book as a lovely gift. I have Plans for this. You didn't know it, but I Do, and you'll see, I'll let you know when it's time to see.

Q&A: Every once in awhile I get very specific questions from someone in my comments - but I have no way to respond, as the comment comes to me as 'no-reply, blogger'. This week, the question is, is the Bernina 125-145 series a 3/4 Machine? the answer is Yes. It is not a full size machine, but it is a gem. I'd recommend it. In fact, I recommended one to my mom, who bought one 2 or 3 years ago. I'm pretty sure she got the 135 and added the optional knee-lift.

Lastly, to borrow a device from Summerset, the parting shot:Admittedly, it's a camera phone shot - but, see all that misty white in the night sky? It was Snowing, capital S when we got into Chicago last Tuesday. We walked to dinner, along Michigan Ave, and this is what greated our eyes. Me, I love it.

Friday, December 07, 2007

“A fascinating look behind the public salons of haute couture into the workrooms of the imperious Coco Chanel herself, revealing the hierarchies, jealousies, fierce ambitions, and treacheries of an industry that trades on elegance. Seamstress Isabelle Varlet has our sympathy from the first stunning line to the bittersweet ending, and Gioia Diliberto pulls us along on a thread knotted with surprises. A thoroughly enjoyable read.” blurb by Susan Vreeland

I was fortunate enough to receive an invitation from Scribner to receive an advance copy of this book with the request that after I read it, I’d write a review on my blog.

This book will appeal to those who sew, who’re interested in couture, and to those who consider themselves fashionistas.If you’re reading this blog, that probably applies to you.

I have to say that I really enjoyed reading this book, for the peek it gives inside the couture ateliers in the heyday of Chanel and Patou, who were apparently bitter rivals. At the same time, it brought up all sorts of questions in my mind, about how accurate a portrayal this book is. The picture Ms Diliberto painted of Madame Chanel is really less than flattering. So I kept going back to the title page:

From the title page: “This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental”It wasn’t until I finished reading the book, and read the authors note at the end that I gained an understanding of where the fictional characters ended and where the real-life portrayals began. I’d suggest that before beginning reading, you turn to page 269 and read the authors note. It’ll eliminate some of the confusion.

On character development and plot development I’d not give this book great marks. The characters, even Isabelle Varlet, the seamstress around whose life the story revolves, are flat and one dimensional. The idea of Isabelle leaving the country and immediately, easily being hired into the Chanel atelier as a seamstress stretches ones ability to suspend disbelief. I have a hard time agreeing with Susan Vreeland that from the first we are able to identify with the protagonist. Because of that, I don’t see that this book will have broad appeal.

However, the descriptions of the creation of the couture collections, from the sketches to the making of the toiles, to the eventual descriptions of the construction, makes it a must-read in my opinion for anyone interested in haute couture.

She really covers the details; the division of labor in the workrooms, the working conditions, and the process. “At Chanel the workrooms were by no means palatial, and Mademoiselle did little for her employees’ comfort—we sat on hard benches, there was no comfortable dining room or cloak room, the ventilation was bad. But the spirit of artistry compensated for the lack of amenities. The work was organized around time-honored traditions, and most of it was done by hand. How else could you control the fabric and shape a garment? Sewing machines were used sometimes for seams and to assemble the heavier garments. But the machines could never replace human hands.”

She also paints a portrait of Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel as a jealous, moody, difficult and insecure woman.

I’m interested to find out more. Was Coco Chanel really such a monster? What were the rivalries like in that era? The author kindly gives us a bibliography at the end of the book.

On the whole, I’d recommend it to any reader of this blog – knowing that you’re interested in the creation of fashion.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Saturday night, matched and ready to cut - pending some sleep. Sunday AM I checked the match, it still looked good, it got cut.

I’ve been absent lately from posting.

Part of it is just LIFE getting in the way, well, that’s just life.

Part is that I vary from knitting to sewing to Other. Because I don’t try to maintain 2 blogs, I feel that when I post about sewing, I pretty much lose my knitting friends, and when I post about knitting, my sewing friends go away, and then, when I post about Sailing, everyone’s eyes glaze over ;)I was chatting with Toya about this very phenomenon the other week, and she ended up putting up a poll on her blog. Interesting that the feedback she’s gotten suggests people most enjoy reading a mix of crafts and personal. Maybe that’s when they all reside in the same post??

Part is the fact that lately I’ve been hesitant to post process posts.And I got to wondering why. Because the blogs that I try to make sure that I get to, to read, are those that are most detailed about process. Tany’s (with her exquisite workmanship), Summerset’s, the Diva’s, Marina, just to name a few. So why do I think you’re not interested in my process shots?

So, I think I'll go back to posting progress and technique posts, and try to get back in the habit of posting. (ok Carolyn??)

If your eyes start to glaze over, let me know. OK?

On the Knitting Front:

Mitten knitting continues, although at the moment, 2 prayer shawls have taken precedence. Each stitch contemplative, each stitch murmuring prayers, each prayer a question, a plea; for solace, for healing, for acceptance, for relief, for healing… Each should be done next week.

On the Sewing Front:

A long ago promised post on the Muslin.

There is a lot of discussion among sewists (sewers – are we repositories for all the flotsam and jetsam draining from the city streets, I think not) about making a muslin.

I make a muslin when:

I’m sewing for someone else

I’m sewing something for me that is out of the ordinary, or something where the fit is absolutely crucial to the wearing of the garment – where fudging it just won’t do

I’m using really expensive or rare fabric and am hesitant to cut into it

And, unlike a lot of folks who like to make Wearable muslins – I prefer to use a muslin fabric. One I can write on, one I can slice into when alterations are required that require insertion of more fabric, one that I can ultimately cut up and use as Pattern. Have you seen the muslin Phyllis has been working on lately for her silk dress?

The muslin I’ve been working on since Friday is for the Donna Karan pattern See Oct 18

Fits 2 of the above criteria – the fit must be impeccable to wear a jacket with that wide a portrait collar and not have it slide right off, and the fabric is expensive -

Rnd one: too small, I’m bigger than I used to be. Time to hit the gym, but I digress.

Rnd two: good enough to work with.

Fit changes I made: Added 2” to the hip, then took in about ¾” in the back at the waist. I ended up changing a bit of the angle of the raglan sleeve seam that goes into the large yoke. Adjusting the yoke so that it sits right at my shoulders. If the muslin sits ok, with all the structure built into the jacket, I should be fine.

Style Changes:

-Added 3” to the length of the jacket. This pattern was exceedingly short – shorter I think than it appears in the picture.

- I also decided to make the sleeve bracelet length with a conventional hem, as opposed to full length with a rib knit cuff.

-I’m eliminating the contrast welt pocket that was set in the front dart.

It’s really hard to tell in the pattern photo, but the jacket construction is deconstructed – with all seams lapped and raw edges showing – I’m not a fan, so I’m constructing using more conventional methods. and inserting the contrasts as piping

Fabrics

You've already seen the fashion fabric, the houndstooth check boucle

I'm underlining with white cotton batiste, and that is the point that I'm at now. I'm handstitching the underlining to the boucle. Because the boucle is so malleable, I'm not even concerning myself with Turn-of-Cloth. If anything, already the boucle has outgrown the underlining, so I don't need to worry about the underlining bubbling up a bit inside.

Contrast: I'm using a black cotton velveteen that has been sitting around here long enough. I'll use it to pipe the seams where DK inserted the raw edge contrast she used, and I'll use it as the second layer collar that sits under the first collar.

Lining: Because the top collar sits on top of the 2nd collar, and that one is black, I'm going to use a black silk to line the collar, but I don't want to use black to line the rest of the jacket.

Back in the mid 80's - the era of Linda Evans shoulders and Dynasty inspired fashion, I had this black/silver animal print dress. It really was spectacular, it needs a body in it to look like anything. Anyway, it'll never see the light of day on anyone again, but the silk is really nice stuff. I'm thinking about using the silk to line the body of the jacket. Hubby thinks it's too busy. But, the lining is never going to be seen, unless the jacket is on a hanger or at the dry cleaners. It's not the kind of jacket that gets worn undone. For that matter, it's not the kind of jacket that gets worn with anything underneath. I've cut up the dress, and the lining is sitting on top of the check on my cutting table. What do you think? The alternative is a solid white silk. I've checked in various light, and there doesn't seem to be any show-through with the print, although I might have to check that again after the jacket is basted together.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Lately, I've discovered something that's been around a Long Time. It all started with the mail.The mastercard bill to be precise.The bill came. On it were several hundred dollars worth of purchases from Borders, Barnes and Noble, and my favorite, Audible.com.Something had to be done. Something drastic. dh (dear husband...) has suggested just cutting up the MasterCard. hmmm, don't think so.

so on the trip to Columbia SC to see youngest dsd (dear step-daughter),instead of all of us attending the football game on Saturday afternoon, I went to this building...see what a nice cost-saving person I am, those football game tickets are pricey indeed.What an incredibly beautiful library.And their selection of knitting books - amazing. I had to be called to go back and meet dsd and dh at the dorm when the game was over.Since we've been home I've learned to use the InterLibrary Loan function, to use the online reserve function to have books and CD's I'm interested in delivered directly to the library branch that is a mile down the road, and I've figured out how to download a book from CD to my computer and then upload it to my Ipod. It's a hassle, for sure, easier by far to click on Buy-It-Now and have Ipod compatible books download from Audible.com, and the books I'm interested in show up at the door from Amazon....however, it's much more pleasant in this household when the mastercard bill shows up and all those charges aren't there.

List of recommended 'reads' to listen to:Christine Falls by Benjamin BlackDrop City by TC BoyleMiddlesex by Jeffrey EugenidesRebecca by Daphne DuMaurierShadow Divers by Robert KursonShadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz ZafonThe Bonesetters Daughter by Amy TanThe Shifting Fog by Kate MortonWorld without End by Ken Follett

Monday, November 12, 2007

clockwise from top:1. Sea Mineral mittens from Spillyjane pattern, yarn Sisu from Sandnesgarn. Finished thumb in larger mitten last night. I'll get more pics and post them. Using same yarn and same pattern, I Knit first mitten on size 0 addi turbo using magic loop, and felt the knit fabric was too tight, too stiff. So I knit the second mitten on size 1 addi turbo, and I'm much happier with the fabric. However, there is no way this can be a pair, as the size difference is significant. These will make a great example though, for the class I'll be doing for mittens at LYS.2. Snowdrift pattern,vintage, yarn Jaeger Matchmaker Merino 4ply; knit on size 3 needles (3.25mm). Needle size is too large, knit fabric sort of loosey goosey. I won't knit the mate to this, but will instead use this also as an example for class.3. mitten started my own compilation from Cimdu charts, yarn Mountain Colors Bearfoot and Louet Gems sportweight; perfect size needle for mitten, knit on size 2 addi turbo4. NHM14 from Selbuvotter; yarn Elann peruvian cashmere (purple) and Jo Sharp alpaca silk georgette (lilac contrast), needle size 2 addi turbo.5. Latvian MIttens, District of Latgale style; yarn black-Jo Sharp alpaca kid luster, orange-Koigu KPPPM, red-Truffles needle 1.5mm6. knit from my own design using charts from Cimdu Raksti, Baltic braid on cuff. Yarn: Mountain Color Bearfoot variegated blue and a Debbie Bliss merino wool 4ply (coned) in purple solid. Needle size 2 addi lace using magic loop. Perfect pairing of yarn and needle size. I've just about finished the thumb on this mitten, and it is going to the store also for display to advertise mitten class.

For Sharron - it'll go with her coat, (and she picked the yarn colors)

On the sewing front: I received the pattern for the Vogue jacket, and will be cutting the muslin tomorrow or Wednesday.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

lots of input, here in comments but mostly in email or comments on SG. Thank you all for your opinions.I have to agree, the design lines in the Balmain coat would be best done in a solid. I have solids that would be perfect.And, as I put in an email to Mardel, I can afford something really trendy for this coming winter, since it doesn't have to last me 5 years. So I think I'm going to go with the Houndstooth check and this pattern, which was not even under consideration.

and wonder of wonders, I'm going to make it so that it fits me Now. Yes, I plan to lose weight, but it became painfully obvious to me in Denver that I also need clothing that I can wear at This weight.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

On my short jaunts home again, I run to the post office and pick up accumulated mail.In the mail bag: a gift from another Stitchers Guild Member of two lovely coat patterns. I'd mentioned on the boards that I'd been bidding (unsuccessfully) on ebay on the Molyneux coat pattern - pictured below. A wonderful and generous SG member contacted me to say she had the pattern and would be happy to send it to me. Well, not only did she send it, but she also sent another pattern too - and I love it equally as well. I'd really like to thank Fran, and now I ask hers and your opinion on fabric choices.As I mentioned, I helped my friend all weekend on the PACC trip to Denver, to set up and sell some of her lovely fabrics. She is offering me a piece of my choice. I've narrowed it down to two. Pictured below are both patterns, and both fabric choices. If you click on the pic you'll be taken to the flickr picture - if you click on "all sizes" at the top of the pic, you'll be taken to a menu where you can really pull down a LARGE photo and see detail.

I'm asking for input - since I just seem to be so undecided lately. Brown/black/gold coating boucle or black/white houndstooth check? Molyneux or Balmain?I pictured the fabrics on top of patterns, but the choice was arbitrary. I really think the check would work better on the Molyneux (or easier at least - look at the piecing on the sleeve)While it is true that I'm leaving town again day after tomorrow - I'm also getting a day of help here in the sewing room after I return - so, in the interest of completeing the coat for THIS coming season....I'd like to have my choice made and a muslin made so that my help and I can make some significant progress on the coat.

coming clean, again.The Debbie Bliss cardi is finished knitting, was blocked last week, and now needs seams. I sew, so why is it so challenging to sit down and sew together a cardigan?Maybe I'll finish it this week and take it with me to S Carolina Friday. and I'll get Liz on the blocking board today.

And I'll take Jacquie's scarf with me for plane knitting. You know that ball of yarn that I was trying to ID? It turned out to be Paris Nights by Ironstone. I called all over the country trying to find a ball of this discontinued yarn.Well folks, I want to let you know that The Knitting Corner in Virginia Beach VA found it for me, and then called me and sent it to me. They were fabulous and I'd recommend them to anyone as a yarn source.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

I am currently in Denver CO at the conference for PACC, the Professional Assoc of Custom Clothiers.I'm here, not as a member (I'm not) but as a sherpa and all around helper for my friend who has an exclusive fabric business and is a resource member to PACC. We brought a selection of Italian and French fabrics, including a number of Chanel boucles, to sell during the market sessions, to those who make it their business to sew.The perks: attending the fashion show, seeing the entries from the pro's answering the Threads challenges for a garment inspired by an artwork. There were some amazing pieces (and some that I personally found appalling, but hey...).I don't have pics, don't think it would be ethical to post them anyway, but I can tell you,Peacock themes were prevalent. There were two dresses, amazingly different, that both played on the peacock theme, that I have no doubt will be appearing in a future issue of Threads. The skill and the work that went into the construction of those garments were amazing. It's early Sunday AM and I'm a little out of adjectives.There was an entry inspired by the Gates exhibit in Central Park, which I HOPE makes it to a future issue of Threads, as the interpretation and execution were both stellar.There was an entry inspired by (I think it's one of Monet's) Iris paintings, which was a Very Literal interpretation, but was amazing for it's embroidery and embellishment.I'm not much for over-literal interpretations, and not much for "art-to-wear", that's just me, but if I were the inspiration here would be overwhelming.

I will post some pics of what I have permission to when I return to St Louis, Tuesday.

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

A Slice of Annapolis during the Boat Showtaken from the deck of Pussers Bar overlooking the harbor.So, are you interested in seeing what the interior of my potential living space will look like, before I clutter it up with our Stuff? Click on the picture below and it'll take you to the website of Caliber - yachts made here in the USA in Florida. If we commission a new boat to be made for us, this sits up on the short list - there are 2 others on that same short list, but this is representative of each.Below is another 47' boat - made by Passport, another on the short list. I've blanked out the face of the woman who was on deck, I think she works for Passport Yachts, but she may work for a boat brokerage, I'm not entirely certain,See that red bag up in the cockpit? That's my Skacel knitting bag that I won as doorprize at Stitches. I was using it, as convenient backpack/knitting bag to carry with me.This pic is of dh sitting at the nav station on either the Hylas or the Passport, at this point in time I'm confused, but I really think it was on the Hylas.

We had a great time, we got the opportunity to spend a little bit of time looking at boats, and then we spent a day with the Seven Seas Cruising Assoc at the annual GAM - a get-together, where we met many others doing exactly what we're planning on doing, or getting ready to.

dh is sliding up the time-table too, I think. At this point, I'm really not sure of much.

I did get some plane knitting done though. a B&W photo of my next stranded mitten, taken from the wrong side/ inside out side of the mitten. It's a gift, so I'm not into revealing too too much here.

Tuesday, October 02, 2007

two great links:For those who knit, I've just been made aware of this site, Visiknit, which will create an easily readable chart for you when you type in your written directions. I LOVE it! These are symbols that I"m used to working with, in a format that my eyes can read even while knitting. If you click on the link and type in some directions and pull up your own chart you'll see just how much more readable it is, than this example that I've saved as jpg then uploaded here - it lost a LOT in the translation.

I am planning on participating in this SWAP. However, I've been planning on sewing for my sister Denise. And making work appropriate clothing, which means jackets, skirts, tops. I had been planning on 2 jackets, based on the rules from last year SWAP. Well, guess what, the rules only allow for one jacket this year.1 jacket6 tops or 5 tops/one dress4 bottoms or 3 bottoms/one dress

so Robin, bless her energetic heart, suggests last night that in order to "make it work" I could sew each jacket as a top, then make a COAT to go over all, which then qualifies the rules.Sure,

A coat2 jackets1 blouse2 tops1 dress1 pant3 skirts

are you reading this Denise?

and the TWIST, easy peasy since we've already been working with patterns which qualify, is use a wardrobe pattern and 3 distinct garment types must come from the one pattern.My own Twist, all fabric, excepting the qualifying purchase from Julie, must come from MY Own Stash. oh, and I've got another twist as well, but I'm keeping that under my belt for awhile.The Pattern we'll be working with (the we is We as in the Royal We, hehe), Denise choosing (with input from me, Me working with)

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Umbilical cord hat in SWTC bamboo, and a drawstring version without the topper, of Manos del Uruguay Cotton Stria.Becky, this is the cotton stria that you sent me last year as a gift when you were doing some blog-giveaway gifts. Thanks, (there is enough left for two-three more). It's the same cotton I used for Joey's chemo blanket, and it is soft as butter.

click on the icon to link to the story

This is One of the saddest stories I've read on the internet.Children die. Children get cancer, Children get into accidents, but children who are murdered fall into a special and separate category of sad.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Edit: This yarn is indeed Ironstone Paris Nights and the colorway (discontinued) is 33. There is one online vendor who said they have it, but they don't.

Thanks for looking, and many thanks to the Ravelers who id'd this yarn for me and found an internet source, almost immediately.

I am desperately needing a ball of this, so if you have one in your stash, please....???

just another quick question:Does anyone recognize what the novelty yarn in this pic is?

I've run out, and I need to find another skein of it, but I haven't a clue what it is anymore. Don't ask where I bought it, what the ball band is, any of that...if I knew/had that info, I wouldn't need to ask. ;)

First off, It's Monday and I've been absent from the computer Again.so, to catch up.It's been quite a couple of weeks.1. Kim and DeeAnn have both emerged from Hibernation. Welcome back to the land of virtual friends, my friends.2. I finally got and accepted my invite to Ravelry. What little computer time I've had in the last week has been spent there, but I PROMISE my friends over at Stitchers Guild and PR, I will balance out soon.3. I got an email from Scribner asking if I would read then review a book on my blog for them. ??? Really? Well, evidently, really! The book arrived in the mail middle of last week. Details to come forthwith. teaser: it is a Novel, and a certain real-life figure by the name of Coco plays a prominent part.4. After a rather long dry spell, I've been knitting again, with abandon. And making some serious progress. Pics to come. (beginning to sound like a refrain of promises, promises).5. Again, after a long hiatus, I've become a Joiner again. I've joined a mystery Lace KAL (the Yahoo group Secret of the Stole), The Fall Cable KAL again, (last year I won a copy of Janet Szabo's Aran knitting book via this KAL), a Ravelry Mitten exchange (see part 2 of todays entry, I'm interested), an online reading group, and the Yahoo group to knit Fulmar. each and every one of these topics will fill up an entire blog post.6. I've also done some work in the past week that I've actually gotten paid for. Not a bad thing. Job hunting though, is at a crawl.

Part 2taking a surveydisregarding colors for a moment, what would be your preference in a mitten. Please reply in comments, and rank in order by number.1. Latvian mitten (this is my own project2. A Selbu mitten - not necessarily with the date, but the type3.a heavily cabled gauntlet4.a light cabled one. This one is by theLadyWyvern, is her own design, and the pattern is available for sale atsldknitting.com/arms1.html StreetLegalDesigns.com5. Stranded gauntlet mittens ala Magnificent mittens. This one is the project of jmolaei on Ravelry

and last: Nancy Tagged me8 things about me you might not know. hmmm? I feel like I'm a pretty open book. So this stuff may just be pretty obscure.1. I love fish and seafood but can't abide clams, oysters or mussells2. I can't run. I win x-country ski races and can swim, cycle and sail, but I cannot run.3. I'm terrified of alligators. I have alligator nightmares, regularly. And I've never lived where there really are alligators.4. I love walking on the shore of Lake Michigan up North in February.5. I've gone winter camping, alone, when it was -5F6. I'm a take-it or leave-it person when it comes to chocolate. I like it, but wouldn't walk a mile for it.7. I'm not a big fan of variegated yarn (oops, if you've been reading this blog for awhile, you already knew that)8. I went to the Canary Islands on my senior trip for high school, and I bought YARN there. (can you even believe it?) it's true.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

In the mail, from JaeThank you Jae. Ohhh, I'm torn between knitting more mittens and starting an Aran.

At Barnes and Noble today (my pampering stop after the Dentist this A.M.) I picked up the latest Threads (not as great as the last issue, let me say), and on my way out, after having Tea and perusing some books, I walked past a table with "Craft" books on sale.I scored Volumes Two (Cables) and Three (Colorwork) of the Vogue Stitchionary Books, at 50% off, then another 10% off. Total after tax: $28. For both. I've found that I love the stitch dictionaries, and these have a lot more depth than I first expected. (I just linked to B&N website, where the books are also avail on sale...happy little enabler that I am)

Then, while drinking my tea and flipping through the knitting mag's, I saw an ad for Nordic Fiberarts. The ad read something along the lines of "Some copies left of Norsk Strikkedesign and Poetry in Stitches". What??Well, thank heavens for cell phones. I called immediately.Yes, I'm sad to say, both books are going OOP. She told me they have maybe 6 copies left of Poetry in Stitches, and more of Norske Strikkedesign. I've had my copy of Poetry in Stitches for years, but I've really been coveting the Strikkedesign book for the last year or so. So guess what's winging it's way here?So, just to pick up the link for this post, I clicked on Nordic Fiberarts. Did you see the Selbustrikk book of mittens? Lovely. Different charts than the Selbuvotter. oh my...

ok, put me on your Christmas list, and that book goes on top. I'll even knit you some mittens from it.

MeanwhileI've been listening to books faster than I can change my sidebar.I Heart Audible.com

Lifted from Cidell, who's also Erudite...this one goes out to CarrieK. Carrie, I expect no less than a complete A (I got the A- , I think it had to do with phlegmatic).

Your Vocabulary Score: A-

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary!You must be quite an erudite person.